How to Harness the Key Business Technologies of the 2020s
With this decade getting off to a slow start following the COVID-19 lockdown, it’s the perfect time to take a step back from your usual duties to consider new and emerging technologies. Most of these digital-era technologies – from AI and automation through to big data processors – can be put to use in business, helping you drive sales, increase your efficiency, and boost your bottom line. In this article, then, we will look at some of the critical business technologies for the 2020s – and what you can do to learn and harness them for your enterprise.
Web Design
It’s incredible to look back over the past two decades of web design, casting an eye over the web pages of the past, to see how far our web design and its underlying code has come. Indeed, from Facebook’s evolving wall to YouTube’s transforming platform, there’s been plenty of change in how we layout websites for businesses in the modern era.
Much of this change has been driven both by the development of more efficient code, and the competencies of web designers themselves. If your business is thinking about a digital revamp in 2020, leading to a modern-looking site that attracts more visitors and converts more sales, then you should look to this new talent. The new technologies that underpin the websites of the future to build out your digital offerings for consumers to enjoy.
Much of this change has been driven both by the development of more efficient code, and the competencies of web designers themselves. If your business is thinking about a digital revamp in 2020, leading to a modern-looking site that attracts more visitors and converts more sales, then you should look to this new talent. The new technologies that underpin the websites of the future to build out your digital offerings for consumers to enjoy.
Business Apps
A decade ago, few businesses believed that it was viable to create an app that their customers would download. Apps seemed to revolve around gaming and entertainment; with social media, the key downloaded the app. But now, in the modern era of constant connectivity and smartphones with larger memory storage, the phones of consumers are becoming ever-more cluttered with apps that cover all of their basic weekly needs.
That means that there’s a huge and widening gap in the market for you to produce your very own business app. Whether you’re looking to create a sales app for customers to purchase products on, or a simple membership app for your customer base, being on consumers’ smartphones is a wonderful way to market yourself, and get closer to your base of customers, each and every day.
That means that there’s a huge and widening gap in the market for you to produce your very own business app. Whether you’re looking to create a sales app for customers to purchase products on, or a simple membership app for your customer base, being on consumers’ smartphones is a wonderful way to market yourself, and get closer to your base of customers, each and every day.
Automation
Automation has been an ongoing theme in the world of business since long before the digital revolution. When we cast our eyes back over history, it’s clear that tools and machines have been helping us perform jobs faster, and more efficiently, for centuries. The industrial revolution fixed rocket boosters to this tendency – and now, the ‘second machine age’ of robotic, digital-enabled machines is upon us.
That’s not all. There are also hundreds of software programs that have been designed to help businesses process their data, automate payroll, and perform countless other day-to-day tasks without the oversight of a human employee. The results of this kind of automation are profound: your staff are free to perform more complex and creative tasks, leaving the dull and repetitive tasks to your automated mechanisms.
That’s not all. There are also hundreds of software programs that have been designed to help businesses process their data, automate payroll, and perform countless other day-to-day tasks without the oversight of a human employee. The results of this kind of automation are profound: your staff are free to perform more complex and creative tasks, leaving the dull and repetitive tasks to your automated mechanisms.
Big Data
Over the last decade, big data has been a growing field of interest for governments and businesses. With statistics and data pointing organizations towards ways in which they can become more efficient and effective, polishing up their internal processes, big data has been compared to oil as a resource that modern society simply cannot do without.
This is no hyperbole. When you crunch big data, you can see everything from the tendencies of your web visitors to visit different pages, right through to the purchasing decisions that they make, and the digital footprint that they leave behind when they interact with you online. All of this data can help you know your customer far better than in the past, directing your sales and marketing efforts to achieve greater profits. If you lack in big data analysis for your business, consider taking Aston University’s Masters in Business Analytics, which you’ll be able to complete online to get your skills up to scratch for the big data crunching of the 2020s. Click here for more information.
This is no hyperbole. When you crunch big data, you can see everything from the tendencies of your web visitors to visit different pages, right through to the purchasing decisions that they make, and the digital footprint that they leave behind when they interact with you online. All of this data can help you know your customer far better than in the past, directing your sales and marketing efforts to achieve greater profits. If you lack in big data analysis for your business, consider taking Aston University’s Masters in Business Analytics, which you’ll be able to complete online to get your skills up to scratch for the big data crunching of the 2020s. Click here for more information.
AI and Machine Learning
Both AI and ML (Machine Learning) are being talked about with increasing levels of excitement. That is because what began as a sci-fi dream twenty years ago is on the verge of becoming a reality in the 2020s. For businesses, this means that even those processes that you felt might always be performed by a human are under threat from smart robots and well-programmed algorithms.
Some of the jobs that are predicted to fall to AI and ML include aspects of journalism, which will be performed in the future by smart algorithms trawling the web, and lawyers, whose hundreds of pages of legalese will be child’s play for a smart algorithm that learns by doing. The question for your company is simple: what complex tasks could new AI infrastructure perform for your company – and can you afford to ignore this rising asset for much longer?
Some of the jobs that are predicted to fall to AI and ML include aspects of journalism, which will be performed in the future by smart algorithms trawling the web, and lawyers, whose hundreds of pages of legalese will be child’s play for a smart algorithm that learns by doing. The question for your company is simple: what complex tasks could new AI infrastructure perform for your company – and can you afford to ignore this rising asset for much longer?
Remote Working
There has never been a more appropriate time for businesses to step back to consider the future working technologies of their enterprise. Most businesses across the world have experienced some form of lockdown in recent weeks; companies have been adapting to the ‘new normal’ of working from home and remote contact. As you’ll know, it’s easier than you might have thought to keep a company running when you don’t have an office to centralize your resources in.
The future looks more and more likely to become a blend of home working and office obligations. It’s cheaper, more efficient, and we clearly have the technology to leave some employees at home to do their work each week. And with the rise of remote working programs and software solutions, you’ll be spoilt for choice as to how you organize this ‘new normal’ work schedule in the future.
The future looks more and more likely to become a blend of home working and office obligations. It’s cheaper, more efficient, and we clearly have the technology to leave some employees at home to do their work each week. And with the rise of remote working programs and software solutions, you’ll be spoilt for choice as to how you organize this ‘new normal’ work schedule in the future.
Communications
One of the chief underlying technologies that are enabling remote working is digital communication. While communicating over distance digitally is nothing new, it is clearly something that we are adapting to as humans to perform our business duties quicker and more effectively. Gone may be the days of international flights and business trips – and it will step the likes of Zoom and other business messaging sites to fill the gap.
So, while the infrastructure is certainly already there, your business should keep an eye out for the latest technologies to help all of your staff communicate as fast as possible in the future. This means looking for video conferencing apps that work speedily, but also other messaging services that help you work on files remotely, and plan different business decisions as a team – wherever you are in the world.
So, while the infrastructure is certainly already there, your business should keep an eye out for the latest technologies to help all of your staff communicate as fast as possible in the future. This means looking for video conferencing apps that work speedily, but also other messaging services that help you work on files remotely, and plan different business decisions as a team – wherever you are in the world.
Accounting and Finance
Once upon a time, the financial affairs of a business could only be scrutinized through careful, methodical, and time-consuming data analysis. For larger companies, teams of individuals would pore over the numbers every day simply to have a sound grasp on their business’ performance, and the profits that they were yielding. Now, of course, this has changed dramatically.
New technologies, and those that have been around for some time, like Excel spreadsheets, are enabling faster, better, more accurate accounting. In turn, there are several new software solutions to help your business fire on all cylinders when it comes to analyzing your financials. And, finally, keep an eye out for the fintech talent, rising across the globe, that have been designed as digital-native solutions for businesses to manage their finances more effectively.
New technologies, and those that have been around for some time, like Excel spreadsheets, are enabling faster, better, more accurate accounting. In turn, there are several new software solutions to help your business fire on all cylinders when it comes to analyzing your financials. And, finally, keep an eye out for the fintech talent, rising across the globe, that have been designed as digital-native solutions for businesses to manage their finances more effectively.
Fast Internet
It should also go without saying that the wealth of technologies presented above all require ultra-fast internet to help you connect your work, your colleagues, and your data points across space and time. Without being connected to a business network that allows you to work fast and without interruption, you will find that all your business suffers, and your staff becomes frustrated with your internet supply.
As such, you need to ensure that you are with a trusted supplier of internet technologies and that your cloud-based network is likewise well-trusted by the business community. Without this trust in 24/7, around the clock connectivity, your business will flounder in the critical moments where you really need connectivity.
As such, you need to ensure that you are with a trusted supplier of internet technologies and that your cloud-based network is likewise well-trusted by the business community. Without this trust in 24/7, around the clock connectivity, your business will flounder in the critical moments where you really need connectivity.
Cybersecurity
And, finally, to protect all of this data and infrastructure, and the internet itself, you’re going to need to purchase a high-quality cybersecurity program for your business. This is not an area of expenditure that you should ignore: you need to work hard to protect your business from data breaches and leaks, and the kind of malware that can destroy much of your hard work.
You should always pair the onboarding of a new cybersecurity program with a staff training module for all your workers to be on the same page regarding how their behavior can affect your business. Often, these programs can be run by cybersecurity firms themselves, or you might otherwise find good material on how to protect your company’s digital infrastructure online.
There you have it – a complete list of all the technologies that you should keep your eyes on in the months and years ahead so that you and your company can be confident in rising to the challenges of this new decade of digital business.
You should always pair the onboarding of a new cybersecurity program with a staff training module for all your workers to be on the same page regarding how their behavior can affect your business. Often, these programs can be run by cybersecurity firms themselves, or you might otherwise find good material on how to protect your company’s digital infrastructure online.
There you have it – a complete list of all the technologies that you should keep your eyes on in the months and years ahead so that you and your company can be confident in rising to the challenges of this new decade of digital business.